Why I’m Optimistic About Rhode Island’s Future

Most evenings, if the weather’s decent, you’ll find me either on my deck or the deck at Bonnet Shores Beach Club. I have to say, the view from the Beach Club is absolutely amazing and reminds me why we love South County.

Rhode Island isn’t perfect. We’ve got work to do - - on housing, schools, infrastructure, and how we manage growth.

But the more time I spend listening to people up and down District 36 - - from Block Island to Point Judith to Wickford - - the more convinced I am that optimism isn’t naïve here.

Beneath every frustration, I hear something deeper: people still care. They still want Rhode Island to work.

I think about how many of us came here to study, to raise families, to work, to teach or to unwind and never left.

That says something. It says this place gets into your DNA.

Sure, we grumble about taxes or traffic or another water ban, but it’s the kind of grumbling that comes from loving where you live.

You don’t complain about a place you’ve given up on.

From my deck, I can see the balance we need to strike. Protecting our coastline while building an economy that keeps people here.

Preserving small-town character while welcoming new families.

Investing in what matters most without wasting what we have.

Every community in District 36 is part of that equation — from the historic homes of Wickford to the beach cottages of Bonnet Shores.

Rhode Islanders are nothing if not resourceful. We fix things. We improvise. We help each other.

I saw it after storms, after power outages, during tough economic times.

The state’s small size, once seen as a limitation, is actually our greatest strength. It allows us to move faster, test ideas, and see results without the gridlock that paralyzes larger states.

We just need leaders who believe we can.

That’s what optimism looks like to me, not blind faith, but stubborn belief backed by action. The kind that says, yes, it’s hard — and we’re going to do it anyway.

It’s the kind that built our fisheries, our schools, our startups, and our neighborhoods. It’s what will carry us through the next chapter, too.

There’s a quiet confidence in Rhode Islanders that I admire. We don’t need flash or fame. We just want things to work: our roads, our schools, our communities.

We’re not asking for perfection. We’re asking for progress.

That’s the spirit I want to bring to the State Senate: practical optimism. Less politics, more problem-solving.

When I look out over the water at night, I see both the challenges and the possibilities reflected back. The tides keep turning, as they always have.

It’s up to us to decide whether we’re drifting or steering.

If we plan thoughtfully, work together, and focus on what unites us instead of what divides us, there’s no reason Rhode Island can’t lead New England again in innovation, education, and quality of life. The potential is right here, and the view from the deck just confirms it.

Rhode Island’s best days aren’t behind us. They’re right in front of us if we have the courage to reach for them.